Envelop moistening and sealing apparatus.



PATENTED JULY 14, 1903..

W. HENDERSON, JR- 7 ENVELOP MOISTENING AND SEALING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED I'BB. 13, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

No MODEL.

:Rs co mom-1.1mm, WASHINGTON a c PATENTED JULY 14, 1903..

No. 733,392. I W. HENDERSON, JR.

.ENVELOB'MOISTENING AND SEALING APPARATUS.

AP'PLI'OATIOF FILED FEB. 13, 1903.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2..

N0 MODEL.

cams PETERS 00., Wmou'mm wASnlNC-Ton n cy r v I UNITED STATES Patented July 14, 1903. I

WILLIAM HENDERSON, JR., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENVELOP MOlSTE NING AND SEALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,392, dated July 14, 1903.

Application filed February 13, 1903. Serial No. 143,184. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENDERSON, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Envelop Moistening and Sealing Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings,isaspecification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel apparatus for moistening the gum on the seal-flaps of envelops and then sealing the envelop.

In accordance with my invention I place the back of the body of the envelop against a support, occupying, preferably, an inclined position, and extend the gummed side of the seal-flap over a roller that constitutes one preferred form of moistening means. To wipe the gummed side of the seal-flap over the moistening means and seal the flap at a continuous operation, I have devised as a part of the machine a movable platen having a pivoted pressure-plate, to be hereinafterfully described.

Figure l in side elevation represents 2. moistoning and sealing apparatus embodying my invention in one simple form. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a perspective View; and Fig. 4 is a section in the line 0;, Fig. 2, through a part of the support A The apparatus shown has a table-plate A, adapted to be secured to a bench or base by screws a. One end of the plate A is inclined upwardly at A, and the plate is then extended downwardly diagonally, as at A to constitute a support for the back of the envelop. The part A is recessed to form a trough a to receive a roller a that constitutes one preferred form of moistening means. This roller is shown as having a series of grooves a and the journals at the ends of the roller sustain the roller, so that it may be rotated freely in the water, any desired quantity, placed in said trough. The lower end of the inclined support has ears A that hold suitable studs constituting pivots for the arms I) of the platen 13, shown as provided at its face next the support with a flexible pad or surface I), preferably of india-rubber and corrugated. The

platen has backwardly-extended lugs 13 and ears B The ears B are suitably jointed or pivoted at b to like ears of a presser-plate B The presser-plate has rising from each end thereof a lug B, and each lug has a stud b that is embraced by the upper end of like links 0, jointed at 2 to arms 0, secured by set-screws 3 to a rock-shaft C sustained by the lugs B. The rock-shaft has an attached handle 0 and near one end is surrounded by by a spring C, that acts normally to maintain the arms 0 in the full-line position, Fig. 1. Spiral springs 4, surrounding the rod a", act normally to aid in turning the platen toward the support. The presser may have at its under side a pad cl, of corrugated indiarubber.

The lower end of the support A has an open throat D, in which is pivoted a rest D, that sustains the lower edge of the envelop when the latter is laid on the support with its seall'lap crossing the moistening means. This rest has, as shown, a backwardly-extended portion 20, that is sufficiently heavy to overbalance the rest and keep the portion thereof sustaining the envelop projected beyond the face of the support. The platen in its movement toward the support meets the overbalanced rest and pushes it into the throat until the projections 10 meet the support.

hen the parts are in the position Fig. l,

the lower edge of the body of the envelop will be placed on the rest D with the gummed seal-flap extended over the roller a used to moisten the gum on the seal-flap. Then the operator will engage the handle 0 and pushing thereon will swing the platen about the rod a toward the support A and at the same time will turn the handle slightly opposite the arrow thereon sufficiently to lift the lefthand edge of the presser high enough to pass freely over the seal-flap of the envelop lying on the roller a and the corrugated pad I) of the platen will be forced snugly against the face of the envelop. This done, the operator puts pressure on the handle that will tend to turn it in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, causing the flexible or india-rubber pad at the under side of the presser to be forced onto the seal-flap of the envelop, and at the same time the operator will so exert pulling pressure on the handle as to draw the platen and presser to the right, away from the support A During this operation the under side of the presser by the stress on the handle is bornedown on the outer side of the seal-flap, and the under side of the latter is wiped over the roller, thus moistening the gum on, the seal-flap, and the envelop is picked off the support and taken from the rest D by the combined operation of the platen and presser, and as the platen completes its stroke to the right, Fig. l, the presser is moved into the dotted-line position to force the moistened side of the seal-flap against the back of the envelop and completes the sealing of the same. The pivoted end of the platen has a throat D parallel with the rest D. As soon as the handle is released the spring 0 acts immediately to raise the presser, and the sealed envelop slides 0d the pad I) through the throat D and is discharged from the machine.

I believe that I am the first to use a platen having a connected presser to pick off from asupporthaving connected moistening means an envelop and close the moistened flap onto the body of the envelop lying with its face on v the platen, and this invention is not, therefore, limited to the precise construction of parts shown.

The rod 21, (see Fig. 4,) that forms a pivot for the rest D, may be adjusted up and down in the open throat D to adapt the machine to envelops of different sizes by turning out the screws 22 and withdrawing partially the plate 23, having notches, as shown, which coact with notches at the rear side of the support.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an apparatus for moistening and sealing envelops, an envelop-support having at its upper end moistening means, combined with a platen and connected presser to remove the envelop from the support and close the moistened seal-flap onto the body of the envelop.

2. In an apparatus for moistening and sealing envelops, a table provided with an upwardly-inclined end having a trough, and a downwardly and forwardly inclined support for the body of the envelop, and a roller in said trough to moisten the sealflap, and a platen having jointed to it a presser adapted to cross over the back of the sealflap and press the gummed face thereof against said roller, engage said envelop, withdraw it from said support, and seal the moistened flap.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, an envelop-support having moistening means, combined with a platen, a presser hinged to the free end of said platen, and means to move said presser toward and from said platen.

t. In an apparatus of the class described, anenvelop-support having moistening means, a platen hinged to the lower end of said onvelop-support and movable toward and from said support, and a presser pivoted to the free end of said platen and movable with the platen and toward and from the same.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, an envelop-support having at its upper end moistening means, combined with a platen, a presser connected with said platen,and means acting normally to move said presser away from said platen.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, an envelop-support having at its upper end moistening means, and having near its lower end a rest to sustain the lower edge of the envelop with its seal-flap crossing the moistening means, a platen having a throat, means carried by said platen to close the moistened flap onto the body of the envelop and remove the envelop from said support preparatory to its discharge through said throat.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, an envelop-support having moistening means, an overbalanced rest for the lower edge of the envelop, combined with a platen, a presser hinged to the free end of said platen, and means to move said presser toward and from said platen.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, an envelop-support having moistening means, and a tipping adjustable rest to sustain the lower edge of the envelop, combined with a platen, apresser hinged to the free end of said platen, and means to move said presser toward and from said platen.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM HENDERSON, J R.

Witnesses:

Gno. W. GREGORY, EDITH M. STODDARD. 

